Pipe cutting tool



Nov. 29, 1932. R. o. PlcKlN PIPE CUTTING TOOL Filed Deo. 26, 1928INVENToR. @oa/md O.

- UNITE srArr-:s PATENT OFFICE ROWLAND O. IPICKIN, OF LOS ANGELES,CALIFORNIA PIPE CUTTING TOOL Application led December 26, 1928. SerialNo. 328,471.

The invention relates to improvements in pipe cutting tools Vused forthe purpose `of cutting pipe in wells drilled by the rotary method ofdrilling.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a pipe cutting toolthat will out either flush joint drill pipe or drill pipe havingcouplings, the cut being made from the outside of the pipe.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pipe cutting tool thatcan be'used for washing over the pipe and that can be turned either tothe right or the left when being lowered into the well, withoutreleasing 5 or in any way affecting the cutters.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pipe cutting tool inwhich the cutters are protected against friction and wearwhen beinglowered over the pipe, or when rotating 20 t-he tool to wash its waydownto the cutting position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pipe cutting tool withcutters that are fed in with a steady and continued pressure 5 and thatcan be withdrawn from cutting at any time during the cutting operation.Another object of the invention is to provide a pipe cutting tool thathas the feeding pressure on the cutters regulated before the tool isinserted into the Well.

Other objects and advantagesof the invention will be apparent as it isbetter understood from the following description when considered inconnection with the accompanying Y drawing illustrating a preferredembodiment thereof.

On the drawing: v

Fig. 1 is afront sectional elevation of the pipe cutting tool, the lefthalf of the section showing the tool before the cutters are released,and the right half showing the tool with the cutters released and inoperation.

Fig- 2 is a section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The numeral 10, Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 indicates the body of the pipecutting tool. The cutters V12, Figs. 1 and 2 are located in the topheavy section vof the body, provision being made for four cutters in thepresent illustrations. Each cutter is rotatably secured ina 1 1 groove14 in the body by a pin 16, a hole being provided in the cutter and thebody for the accommodation of the pin, the pin being` supported at eachend in the body.

Below the cutter 12 is the annular sleeve 18, and upon the upper end ofthis sleeve are the upwardlyprojecting lugs 20, Figs. 1 and 3, theseupwardlyprojecting lugs extending into the grooves 14, Figs. 1 and 2,and contact- 65 ing with the lower inclined portion of the cutters 12,the contact being constantly maintained by the compressed coil spring22, Fig.

1. The spring is compressed by screwing the shooe 24 into the lower endof the body 10 be- 70 fore the tool is lowered into the well.

To prevent the cutters from coming into contactvwith the pipe as thetool is lowered into the well, an annular cutter releasing member orsleeve 26, Figs. 1, 2, 3 and4 isin- 75 serted inside the body 10, andextends downwardly through the tool to the shoe 24. The lower end ofthis member has apertures 28 for the purpose of forming the springstrips 30. The strips 30 are fashionedV into elliptical 80 springs forthe purpose of making contact with and gripping the pipe, indicated bythe dotted lines 32. i

Before the coil spring 22 is compressed the cutter releasing member 26carrying the ellip- 85 tical spring strips 30 is inserted into placeyand holds the cutters back in the postion shown on the left hand side ofFig. 1,' and is secured against rotation by the threaded stop pin 34inserted into the sleeve 18 and projecting into 90 ,the verticalelongated slot 36. The sleeve 18 i is secured against rotationby theprojecting lugs 20 which always remain in the groove 14 in the body 10.The vertical movement of the When the tool is lowered into the well themember 26 is placed in its highest position, and is temporarily held inthis position by the cutters which are in forced contact with the member26, thus preventing the member 26 from sliding down before the tool islowered over the pipe lto be cut. ,I g c lie tool runs over th'epip'efth'eelliptical spring strips 30, attached to tlre `cutterreleasing member26 4griphtlne pipe, this again tends tozkeep the member26 in its upper position until the tool has reached the locati'o'i'iwhere it is desired to sever the pipe, the tool is then raised and thecutter ieleasing'ineinber gripping ,the pipe remains with the pipe andAthe remainderfof v:the y*tool lrises up 'until ,uit enters use @ver thetcp uit meer releasing inemberand are ekposed and 'released 4fnd areforced into Contact withfthe pipe. as slofwi'rn theriglit 'hand sid'eiofFigs. 1 and 2. y ,The t'ol Lis thenfrot'ated :to th'e ri'glrt and thefci'i'tters cut' ltliroughthe fro'm 'the outside itfwardsjtne center.

The Ltool 'may 'then be raised other cuts kmade before withdrawing 'thetool from Vthe wel ,I claim:

v 1, lIn ia pipe 'cutting tool, a body, a plurality 'of cutters,e'achcutter being pivotally secured ufon 'a bearingfi'n said body, 'fanannulai' Ycutter Aoper'ating sleeve, a` `normally compressed peilvspring,l aY uthreaded annular "spring compressing member, ,and 'an'annular wslidablle eutter restraining sleeve for temprarily'lockingsaid'c'utters in 'ink-operative `)osition, and for 2rele'a'singy saidcutters vinto pperatin, said cutter Arestraining 'sleeve be- `operatedYby Contact with kthe pipeto be afin apip cutting fas-1, steady, apluraln iitterssecuredQtherein,a`nor1nallycoinc'o'il spring fr forcingsaid cutters intooperation, and a'tlireadedannul'ar springcompressmgmemben and Van annular slidlable(futter', restraining sleevefor temporarily v `l9ckingsa'idcutters 41n1n-operativ,e position, andfor releasing said cutters into operation,

means for securing said cutter 'restraining sleeve 4against lrotationwith respect tothe "said ,body whilstl the'ciitt'e'rs are in operation.

3. ,'Infa pipe cutting tool, the combination "of l'a"tubular-body, acutter pivotally secured 4. Ina fedi ,fdr etang ,pipe jana "refine altubular housing, pipe vcutters tomijotate p with saijdfhousing'la cutter"restraining sleevev interposed between the' cutters and the vpipe to'be cut, pipe 'engaging means carried by said sleeve, and adjustablemeans interengaging said sleeve and a member connected with said housingto control the movement of said housing in relation to said sleeve forreleasing the cutters into contact with the pipe upon relative movementof the housing in relation to the sleeve.

'5. In a tool for cutting pipe and for like purposes, a housing, acutter pivotally se* cured in -said housing, an annular cutter actuatinginember actuated by a normally comn pressed 'coil spring compressedbetween said member and a stationary shoulder attached to 'said housing,and a cutter restraining sleeve in engagement with the pipe to be cutfor temporarily locking said cutter in inoperative position and forreleasing Asaid 'cutter into Operation upon movement of said housing inrelation to said sleeve.

6. In a tool Vfor cutting pipe and for ylike purposes, a housing, aplurality of cutters secured therein, a normally compressed coil springfor forcing said cutters into ope-ration, a threaded annular springcompressing member, and an annular sli'dable cutter restraining sleeveinterposed between the cut- 'ters and the pipe to be cut for temporarilylocking said cutters in inoperative position and for releasing saidcutters into operation, and means for vsecuring said cutter Orestraining'sleeve against rotation independent of :said housing.

7. In a tool for cutting pipe and for like purposes, vthe combination ofa tubular body,

*a cutter pivotally secured therein, and a normally compressed coilspring secured in 'said lbody for forcing thecutter into lcontact withthe pipe, anda cutter locking sleeve having rresilient contact with 'thepipe removably positioned between j:the lcutter/andthe pipe to be cut.

8. A tool for cutting pipe and -for v'like purposes, comprising atubular body, a cutter "pivotally mountedin lsaid Abody in vaslot cutlongitudinal thereto, an annular cutter Vfeedinginember operated by acoil spring Aencircling thc inside of said vtubular body, "said `springlbeing normally compressed be- 4"tweenthe feeding member andaiiXed'shoul-v "der attached 'to the body before the tool is insertedinto the well, the normal eXpan'sion of said spring from saidired'shoulder being the `sole means of forcing't'he cutter to cut thepipe upon rotation of the tool.

9. A tool :for lcutting pipe and 4:for'like 'purposes, comprising atubular body, a cutter mounted in an axial slot in said body, an annularcutter actuating member Icontacting with the back of said cutter andhaving means provided for constant-lyeXerting iforce upon said cutter tomove the cutter inwardly, said means Vconsisting of anormally compressed.coil springwhich actuates by expansionfonly, and a sleeve interposablebetween the vcutter and the pipe for temporarily preventing Ythe cutterfrom moving inwardly fromr said slot, said sleeve having resilient meansattached thereto for anchoring the sleeve to the pipe so that the saidbody may move independently of said sleeve to release the cutter intocontact with the pipe.

l0. A tool for cutting pipe and for like purposes, comprising an annularbody, a cutter pivotally mounted in a slot, a cutter actuating lugextending into said slot, a normally compressed coil spring for forcingsaid cutter actuating lug to swing the cutter into cutting position, anda slidable cutter re- Y straining sleeve Jfor temporarily locking saidcutter in non-cutting position, said sleeve having resilient Contactwith the pipe for anchoring the sleeve to the pipe so that the cuttermay be released into operating position as the body moves the cutter outof contact with the sleeve.

11. A tool for cutting pipe and for like purposes, comprising a hollowbody, cutters pivoted therein, means constantly tending to project thecutters into cutting position, a sleeve interposable between the cuttersand the pipe movable into position to maintain them retracted, and meansto yieldably anchor said sleeve to the pipe against movement f in eitherdirection, and means on said body to limit the motion of said sleeve inrelation to the body.

l2. A tool for cutting pipe and for like purposes, comprising a tubularbody, a pivoted cutter mounted in a slot cut longitudinally in the body,said cutter being swung inwardly into cutting position by an annularmember having a lug rigidly attached thereto, said lug extending intosaid slot and into contact with the cutter, said contact being causedand maintained by a normally compressed coil spring encircling theinside of said body, said spring being compressed between said annularmember and a shoulder attached to said body before inserting the toolinto the well.

13. A tool for cutting pipe'and for like purposes, comprising a tubularbody, a pivoted cutter mounted in a slot cut longitudinally in saidbody, said cutter lying retracted therein in non-cutting position, andan annular cutter feeding member having a rigidly attached upwardlyprojecting portion for the purpose of projecting into said slot to forcesaid cutter to swing into contact with the pipe, said contact beingcaused and maintained by a normally compressed coil spring, the springbeing compressed between a shoulder attached to said body and saidcutter feeding member before inserting the tool into i the well. f

ROWLAND O. PICKIN.

